Yes, true they will sprout, but will they grow true? Most beans are self-pollinated and the seed will grow up to be like their parents, but some bean seeds are hybrid and may not grow true--meaning they may not produce the exact bean you purchased. This is a great experiment in observation for your son!

About pollination linked here:
http://www.harvestwizard.com/2009/05/how_vegetables_are_pollinated.html

Here is a link that might be useful: HarvestToTable.com

Interesting.

I have some beans growing right now that she sprouted. I'll have to see what they produce. At least I know they'll add nitrogen to the soil.

Actually, no bean hybrids are produced because it is impractical to produce them. Also, accidental crosses are rare. The grocery store dried beans will work just fine as garden seed. The only drawback, IMO, is that those are all varieties which are inexpensive to buy for food. So I choose other, more difficult to find, varieties for my garden. But hey, have fun. It's a hobby.

Jim

I have planted store bought beans many times. I actually have some mayocoba that I plan on planting soon that came for Wal-Mart, I love those beans and wanted seeds ....I also planted Anasazi to use for dry beans and got their location mixed up and started using them as green beans ...so by accident I found out that they are good dry and as green beans. If it is a seed....I can find a place to plant it no matter where it came from.

Ruthie, that is a great line, "if it is a seed...." You put someting into words that I hardly even knew was there.

Last week, I was planting my pole beans in a raised bed, hoping to get around to adding a trellis or teepee for them. I had more seeds in my hand that just had to go in the ground, not back in the packet. I wandered around the yard until inspiration hit, in the form of free poles, already installed. I pulled up a bit of grass from around the stop sign and the No Parking sign next to the street and poked the seeds in. We'll see how it goes.

It was said "At least I know they'll add nitrogen to the soil."

Sorry, not so. That happens only if you dig them into the soil before they bloom.

Hepatica, I love the way you think. Many times I have thought to do some guerilla gardening, but never got around to it.

BTW, I also like your screen name. Hepaticas are a top favorite wild flower of mine. Always have been.

Jim

Really? I've never heard that before. I've heard plenty of experts speak of harvesting beans or peas then digging it under to feed the soil.

Jim, I don't know if it counts as guerilla gardening if we plan to eat the beans on that stop sign!

I remember hepatica from early spring tromps in the woods with my Wisconsin family. Does it also grow in New England?

Plant pole beans on stop signs. The homeless can harvest the beans as they see fit. Urban agriculture!

Jim

P.S. Grocery store dried beans are all bush beans. They must be for open field planting and mechanical harvesting. For stop sign use, get real pole bean seeds.

I grew my kidney beans from beans from the store last year. They came out great.

"guerilla gardening" - I love that! I must get on that right away! I think I'll speak to the local beautification society (scarlett runners should fit the bill)
I'd like to guerilla garden the rental house next door, there's just nothing over there but some abandoned daylilys while I'm over here scrounging for more places to plant veggies. - next spring half my front lawn is going under.

I've heard of guerilla gardeners filling water balloons with water and seeds, and tossing them into open fields.

I'd like to do that with a few empty lots around my area.

Which seeds would do best just tossed on the ground like that? Cucurbits?

My understanding of nitrogen fixing is that it happens in the nodules on the roots. I don't think you have to forgo the harvest in order for it to work, but it may be true that the nitrogen is not released back into the soil until the plant dies. Not sure.

I had a thread going last year 'adventures with pantry beans'.

Most were disappointing but one was so good I saved seed from the 1 lb bag to plant as a fall cover crop. They were the Camelia baby green limas. I will plant them again, they were delicious as shellies, which is something you do not get from the store, even when you can get the dried seed. Something to consider. Even the lowly black eye pea shellies, when you can get them, fetch a pretty coin.